"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown

Book Details:

Title- <i>The Lost Symbol</i> (Robert Langdon, #3)

Author- Dan Brown

Published- 2009: Doubleday

ISBN- 978-0-385-50422-5

Pages- 509 pages

Genre- Thriller

Rating- 4 of 5

 

My Review:

In this sequel to the literary and cinematic phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, symbologist Robert Langdon is once again thrown into the world of the Freemasons. Finally, this one takes place on his own U.S. soil. Summoned to the country's capital, Langdon becomes entangled in the lore and well-hidden secrets of the ultra-secret society when a mysterious object is discovered in the Capitol Building and his long-time friend and known-Mason Peter Solomon is kidnapped by a madman who has successfully infiltrated the Masons, reaching the coveted 33rd degree with the intention of personally gaining, as well as divulging their greatest secrets and using them to take down the society.

Accompanied by Peter's sister Katherine, Langdon follows the trail of clues left by ancient Masons to find his friend in time to save his life. Plunged deep within hidden passages and tunnels weaving through Washington, D.C., following Langdon is once again as much a learning experience for the reader as a cunningly well-written thriller, filled with as much fact as fiction.

My only complaint with this series is the lack of subject variation. All three novels revolve around the Freemasons and Illuminati, societies Langdon is not even a member of. I would love to see this world-famous symbologist delve into the secrets of another culture or society. While all three novels are gripping and fascinating, a little variation in subject matter would be a welcome change in my eyes, and show Brown's talent as a writer and researcher to introduce readers to another side of Robert Langdon- a side that is fluent in other areas of symbology.

Well worth the read to history buffs, as well as fans of thrillers. The famous Langdon novels are not to be missed!